


say it out loud, I want (need) to hear.

by softchimchimmie



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Autophobia, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Lalophobia, M/M, Oneirophobia, Pistanthrophobia, androphobia, astrophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 18:04:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14598675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softchimchimmie/pseuds/softchimchimmie
Summary: AU where instead of Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise participating in the war, they are trapped underneath the castle grounds where no one can hear their screams.





	1. found - 0.1

The war had been a flash. Ryoma had remembered the victorious expression his father wore during the ceremony, Mikoto sharing the expression with much more relief that the bloodshed was finished. He remembered seeing his siblings excitedly talking about the festivals they would be able to host after rebuilding the cities that had been destroyed during the war. 

It had been a long war. It was filled with grief, though it made each person who contributed to the effort to gain something new. Information, relationships, and the occasional lover. There were people who were lost, but the kingdom made an effort to create a memorial for each person who lost their life over the course of the war. Many casualties, many names that were engraved into stone. Many people who would be remembered for serving their nation. 

The celebration was short lived though, mention that they would have to investigate Castle Krakenburg for any remaining information that might reside there. It was sobering when mentioned, though it was mentioned that each of the royal siblings would also come, Mikoto staying behind with her retainers. 

Takumi had been stubborn, Hinoka even more so. It took the efforts of both Ryoma and Sakura to assure them that nothing bad would happen. That if there were to be any trouble, they would be able to take care of it. 

Hinata and Setsuna had been the winning factors of the discussion, both teaming up (with Hinata’s planning) to endorse the trip. Though just because they agreed, did not mean that they wouldn’t complain on the way. 

\-----------------

“I still don’t get why we have to go! It’s just some artifacts and a library, can’t we just have diviners go?” Takumi asked, a bit muddled that their happiness had been cut short due to the long trip they would have to take to Nohr. Hinoka had remained mainly silent, letting out her own quips now and then from the skies. Sakura occasionally shushed her, both her and her eldest brother a bit exasperated with how redundant their complaints were. 

It had taken a five day trip, taking few breaks from the unpredictable weather that threatened to hinder their progress. When they finally arrived, the first thing they noticed was how empty the entirety of Nohr seemed to be. You could only hear silence as well as the sound of wings flapping in the air, or hooves clicking against the floor. 

“This used to be such a beautiful city…” Sumeragi said quietly from a top his horse, looking around. They had reached it to the city of Windmire. One of their most difficult fights had been fought there, circled by mages and servants who easily took out their cavalry and infantry. 

“I’ve heard that there used to be frequented by celebrations before the first queen passed,” Sakura recited quietly, gazing around. The buildings had interesting exterior, contrasted greatly from the ones in Hoshido. “I believe she also introduced industrialisation to the cities… the architecture is vast, and from blueprints we h---”

“Will you stop praising Nohr? We were just fighting them, and you make them seem like---”

“Enough,” Azura said, slightly irked as Corrin let out an awkward chuckle from beside her, Kamui hummed at the anger that was visible behind her stoic voice. “I believe you forget that even if we were just fighting, Nohr is a beautiful city in which people lived. They might have destroyed their land, but we destroyed their civilization. Even if they instigated it… they’re people, too.”

The silence was deafening, and that left Takumi fuming as he didn’t retort. He found some truth in it, though he would never admit it. 

Azura let out a deep breath, mumbling a small apology that received no answer from the archer. 

They’d arrived by dawn, exhausted, but determined to work throughout the day after a small rest. 

Ryoma, Azura, and Corrin had been in charge of scouring the library, the only ones who were fluent in the language of the literature and the tomes that were kept in the large scale room. Kamui had attempted to join them, but reluctantly admitted to not knowing Nohrian as much as they did and followed the rest of their siblings to look through the rest of the confusing castle. 

Once the room was flooded in silence, Corrin had dawdled a bit, radiating a look and aura of fear as she ushered them towards the back of the library. 

“Where are we going…?” Azura asked calmly. 

Corrin gave no answer, a concerned look on her face as they approached a section of the library that was dedicated to a variety of tomes that seemed to be written in an assortment of languages. She plucked one up, fingers gliding over the bindings naturally until she found the right one. The cover was dyed a dark purple, gold embroidery decorating it. There was no title, though a tear shaped opal gleamed from an indent on the front. She fondly looked at it, still providing nothing for her eldest brother and sister to go off of, leaving them confused. 

She flipped it to a page, glancing over it.

“Corrin…” Ryoma tried, though the silence continued, until Corrin muttered soft words, her eyes not leaving the text. 

The floor began to rumble, and it was a matter of moments before everyone piled back inside of the library, surprise and worry in the voices as they asked what happened. They were all stunned, and as the shaking stopped, their voices did as well. The wall in front of them had crumbled, a door with a stairway leading downwards was present. 

“Corrin, what did you do?” Sumeragi hissed, stepping forward. 

Corrin turned, smiling softly as she opened the book to the page, showing it as if it were a children’s book. 

“Did you know that… Garon had children?” she asked softly. On the pages she had flipped to were four, neatly drawn portraits were done. “This is Xander,” she said softly, “He’s kind, strong, gentle. He was the one who taught me how to maintain my wellbeing when I was captured, shared his rations with me even though they were so little.” She could hear their breaths become more audible as they listened, though they remained quiet. 

“This is Camilla… she’s so beautiful, y’know? She’s always braid my hair when I was feeling down, and would sometimes even let me dress up in her clothes when we had time! Though she’d get so upset when I’d accidentally get one dirty. She works really hard to make clothes, so I always felt really bad…”

“This is Leo. He’s super smart, and when I was lonely, he would always tuck up against my side and read me a story, can you believe that?” she asked, laughing fondly, “He would tuck flowers into my hair, Elise’s hair, Camilla’s hair… when Xander would allow it, even he got a cute flower crown!” 

“And this… the light that will always shine through the darkness… is Elise. Innocent, but wise. She’s oh-so young, but she was always the one that was optimistic, didn’t know much about what was happening, but she understood hurt. She was always honest, cheerful. I hope she still is.”

She paused, before turning towards the opened entrance to the undergrounds of the castle. 

“They’re down there.”

“They’re… what? How can you be so sure?” Takumi asked, pushing forward with an incredulous look on his face. “It’s been so long… gods, why aren’t we going down there now?” he asked, surprising not just himself, but everyone around him. 

“It’s delicate,” Corrin said softly, “They’re… so afraid of the outside world. They’ve been down there for…” she cut herself off, shuddering. “We must be quiet, and we must not show that we have any intention of hurting them. They’ve suffered, they were my home once. I want to protect them because I know that they’re still there.”

Sumeragi stepped forward, eyes softening a bit as he took in the situation. Who was he to deny his daughter of such?

“Let’s go down,” Sumeragi said softly, setting a hand on Corrin’s shoulder. “I can tell that they’re important to you, and we will welcome them with open arms. If they’re your family, than they are ours as well.”

Corrin smiled brightly. 

“I’ll go down first, Sakura, Azura, will you be beside me?” she asked, the two girls coming forward. 

“Please use quiet voices as well…” Corrin added, a bit jittery as Takumi, the main person she wanted to stay calm, nodded as he filed beside his father, Ryoma, Kamui, and Hinoka behind them. 

As they trekked down the stairs, Corrin made sure Sakura didn’t lose her footing, knowing the girl was a bit susceptible to tripping as she was still recovering from the drainage the war had brought her younger sister. 

At the very end stood a door. Looming and locked with a heavy padlock. 

Corrin approached it, opening the tomb, again to a different page and began to cast a spell, hand directed towards the lock as a swirl of blue magic began to form. She had never been one to speak of magic, never showed interest. Though the spell only became more complicated as the ball became a key shape, unlocking the padlock and making it thud with a loud clang. 

She let out a small pant as she closed the book, tucking it under her arm as she took the handle, glancing back. 

What they saw was something they’d never expected. 

Sakura gasped softly, holding a hand to her mouth. The smell was atrocious, it was almost akin to rotting bodies. It infiltrated their senses, and Corrin could only let out a soft whimper as she stepped forward. Her hands clasped around her mouth when a blade came at her, though she remained still. 

It stopped, the sound of it clattering to the floor evident. 

“Xander,” Corrin said softly. Siegfried laid on the floor, beside it, its user. “Xander, oh my god,” she whispered, rushing forwards to catch the man as he began to fall. His eyes were sunken in, bones defined under the thin and dirtied silk that draped over his body. 

She scanned the room, letting tears fall freely when she spotted Camilla, Leo, and Elise huddled in the corner, Elise protectively huddled between them. 

“Corrin,” Xander said quietly, face trying to maintain one of seriousness, though the fondness melted into his features, “Who are they…?”

“My family,” she said, hand gently stroking the side of his face, “Your family now, too.”

His face was stricken with grief, shaking his head, “They’re not--- they’re---”

She hushed him softly, planting a kiss onto his forehead. 

“Xander please, just trust me this once,” she said softly, watching him nod. “We’re taking the four of you,” she emphasized, “To Hoshido. Where you will recover.”

“Okay…” Xander said, giving up without a fight as he lost energy and supported himself against Corrin. 

“I’m going to have Ryoma carry you, alright?” she asked, receiving a feeble nod. The glance she gave the said man gave him no room for objection, and he moved forward, taking Xander into his arms. He was light, far too light for his stature, and it was almost as if the gown he wore engulfed his body. 

A girl with long blonde hair stood up on shaky legs, looking at Corrin with wide, teary eyes. She looked frightened, a staff clutched in hand with a pink gem that radiated magic. 

“Corrin.”

The name died on her tongue and came out more like a rasp than anything. 

God, she was so tiny, so thin. 

Corrin scooped Elise up slowly, allowing the girl to place her face in the crook of her face and weep, Corrin grabbing the staff right before it fell. Both Camilla and Leo had rose to their feet, supporting each other as they did. 

They both looked relieved, Takumi and Azura coming forward. Azura took Camilla’s side with ease, leading her forward. The woman was a bit hefty, though still held the delicate frame that each of the Nohrian siblings had. Takumi had almost awkwardly slipped an arm under Leo’s, resting a hand on his waist as to keep him balanced. He didn’t rush the blonde at all, a saddened look on his face. 

“Can we… leave this job for diviners?” Takumi asked once more, voice filled with a silent terror that was shared amongst all of the Hoshidans.


	2. found - 0.2

The first week with the Nohrian nobles was close knit, confined to a segment of the Shirasagi castle that not many servants had much reason to go to. Orochi had been the head of the team that was sent back to Nohr, reassuring everyone that if things were to go wrong, she could send a distress signal. 

It wasn’t really needed as Saizo and Kaden were quick to follow them after figuring out the group of diviners (who weren’t the most offensive, mainly book worms that Orochi was able to rope together) were planning on going without any reinforcement. 

Much to everyone’s surprise, Takumi had been the one to volunteer taking resources back and forth between the building and the main grounds, even being the first one to indulge the youngest Nohrian princess in gentle banter that made her giggle for the first time since she’d arrived. 

He saw to it that Oboro made them sufficient clothing for the four, even more pleased when she added some Nohrian flair to the clothing. 

It’d been an entire 180 of how Takumi once felt towards the Nohrians, instead seeking refuge in an onslaught of pity that made him care much more than he truly needed to about the matter. To say the least, Corrin was proud. Bursting with happiness and thanking Takumi a thousand times over for his help.


End file.
